Ruth Donlevy Recipient of the Chelwood Bridge Community Award 2025

Chew Stoke Parish Council would like to nominate Ruth Donlevy for this years award. Ruth is so involved with many aspects of village life, as well as being a GP and having a family. It has been a busy year in Chew Stoke and Ruth has got involved and helped with many of the projects.

Firstly, Ruth became Chair of the Village Hall committee, a challenging job when the Parish Council took over as Custodian Trustee of the hall from the PCC. She helped out with the many different aspects of sorting out the lease, which was complex and time consuming. She continues to Chair a proactive and efficient committee. She has even taken to the hall stage and taken a central role in a comedy evening, to raise money for the hall. She helps to organise many events to raise funds for the hall. 

Ruth has also lead a working group to try to set a community shop, she designed surveys and produced reports, then when a tenant was found to set an independent shop, Ruth continued to help and support the new manager, and continues to do so. Ruth also gave up her time at weekends to come and help weed and plant flowers, to get the village ready for judging in the Village in Bloom competition.Ruth also helps at the annual Chew Stoke Harvest Home, our large village 'fete'. Ruth can be found pouring cups of teas for hours, or rushing to give First Aid, helping erect the enormous marquee (& take it down), rain or shine.

It feels like whenever the council needs help or information, Ruth is the person. She is a kind, compassionate person that does so much for the community without ever expecting anything in return.

It would be lovely for Ruth to be recognised for all she does for Chew Stoke.

Many thanks, Sarah-Jane, Parish Clerk